


Ready To Start Living

by teffy



Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Undeadwood - Fandom
Genre: Bedside Vigils, Comfort, Declarations Of Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:29:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21913708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teffy/pseuds/teffy
Summary: The problem with getting shot is not the actual getting shot. That part’s easy. So is the dying. The problem with getting shot starts when you begin to recover. Because then? Well, then everything hurts.
Relationships: Reverend Matthew Mason/Clayton Sharpe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 59
Collections: Yee-Hawligays Undeadwood Fic Exchange





	Ready To Start Living

The problem with getting shot is not the actual getting shot. That part’s easy. So is the dying. The problem with getting shot starts when you begin to recover. Because then? Well, then _everything_ hurts. 

Clayton was sure that he got shot in the shoulder. If that was the case then why did his whole body feel like it’d been run over by a carriage about three or four times? 

On top of all that, it seemed like everyone was determined to play nursemaid to him. First the new doctor in town was insistent that someone stay with him to keep an eye on him during recovery. Then his...friends? Well, _the people he’d been working with,_ all took turns sitting up with him. 

Aloysius was first to stay with him. This was after the mumbled apologies about shooting him. Thank the good lord the Reverend had the sense to tackle him to the ground and knocked Aly out until they could talk some sense into him. They both sat in silence save for the occasional flip of cards as Aly played solitaire. At least there wasn’t a conversation to distract him from his brooding. 

No, that was for Miss Miriam who wouldn’t _stop_ talking the entire afternoon she sat next to his bed. Talking and shaking her head most vehemently so that her curls bounced in an angry way. _“And don’t you think I haven’t told Mister Fogg all of this too. Both of you. Damn fools.”_ Again, he was saved from conversation this time by not being able to get a word in edgewise.

Arabella brought him dinner and some sort of bluish-white crystal that she sat on one of his bed posts. Then she pulled out a book and hummed to herself while he busied himself with eating. She made the occasional comment but thankfully avoided all mindless conversation.

He must have fallen asleep at some point after dinner because when he awoke, Arabella was gone and the was chair empty. It’s occupant was currently on their knees next to the bed hands clasped and eyes closed in prayer.

“Reverend?” Clayton managed in a raspy voice as he pushed himself up a bit from his slumped position.

Mason’s eyes shot open. “Oh! _Oh._ ” He reached for him, thought better of it, then gripped at the blankets in front of him. “You’re awake. That’s..that’s good right? Or should you be sleeping and resting? Did I wake you when-”

Clay’s good arm raised up and he held a finger in the air to stop him. “I’m good. Just woke up is all. Your turn to be my minder tonight?” Mason actually smiled a bit at that and nodded. “Good cause I needed to tell you about the wanted notice I saw with your face on it, Reverend.” He finished off and the smile slowly faded from the other man’s face.

“Mister Sharpe...I don’t...know…”

“How about you just call me Clayton. I’ll call you Matthew. They’re not our real names but that’s the best we can do right now.”

“Clayton.” the Reverend’s voice was soft in a way Clay hadn’t ever heard before. “I would like to try to explain.” He told him.

Clayton shook his head. “You don’t have to is the thing. I burnt it. All of those wanted notices. Yours...and mine included.” He let out a sigh. “I don’t know what Mister Fogg has told all of you about me but-”

It was Mason’s turn to cut him off and he did so by reaching for his hand, giving over to himself this time and actually following through with it. He grabbed onto Clayton’s good hand and held on tightly, the warmth of his skin chasing away the chill of Clayton’s own fingers. “I don’t care about any of that either. Let’s not...let’s not think on it. We’ve both...we’re both who we are now and not who we were.”

He didn’t deserve this. Any of this kindness from any of them. Wasn’t a week ago that if something like this happened to him he’d have bled out on the street with no one to look after him. Besides the fact that if anyone had found out about his past and what he was wanted for they’d never speak to him again. Not any of his friends. Yeah, he’d admit that now. His friends hadn’t left him. Matthew hadn’t left him.

No, as a matter of fact, Matthew was right there and holding onto his hand, looking up at him with something like hope in his eyes. 

“Miriam was right.” he murmured softly, searching Matthew’s eyes and savoring the adoration he saw there. “I am a damn fool. A fool for not realizing that I want to be here. That...this place could be home.” He moved his hand out of Matthew’s grasp only to rest it against his cheek. “Fuck if I ain’t been in love with you since you asked me how you looked in that coat.” He blurted out before tipping his head down and bumping their noses together awkwardly before giving him a soft kiss.

If the Reverend was surprised he didn’t show it by pulling away. He felt the smile against his mouth and kept kissing him, thinking to remove it from his face. But he couldn’t. And when he pulled back the dopey smile was still there. Clayton let a grin of his own tug at the corners of his mouth and he shook his head slightly. “A damn fool you are too, Reverend. _Matthew_. Getting mixed up with the likes of me.”

Matthew shifted up to curl up in the bed next to him, his large frame tucked in against him. “A fool who’s in love with you too.” He said softly and pulled Clayton in against him. “Sorry it took me almost losing you to realize that.” 

Clayton pressed his face against Matthew’s chest and neck, breathing him in.

Yeah, everything still hurt. But Clayton was ready to start _living_.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! So happy to write this for daleytwin2 for the Yee-Hawligays Undeadwood Fic Exchange on the Undeadwood discord. 
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](https://teffy.tumblr.com/) and talk to me about cowboy husbands and all manner of CR content. <3


End file.
